Babaylanes Equality Fellowship is a continuing learning and leadership program for young LGBTQI advocates aiming to enhance their capacities in doing LGBTQI advocacy work and to expand their networks for human rights and SOGIESC-focused campaigns.
The goal of the fellowship is to expand and sustain the LGBTQI advocacy community in the Philippines by enhancing the capacity of young and emerging Filipino LGBTQI leaders. The long term expected result is to have a more active LGBTQI representation and participation in local and national governance.
Many young LGBTQI student leaders develop their activism and advocacy skills while they are in university and while they are part of LGBTQI student organizations, some of which have received mentorship and support from Babaylanes. However, as we learned from the graduates of the National LGBTQI Students Network, many of them lose their platform in advocacy when they leave their universities. There are very limited opportunities for them to take part in the movement, without affiliation with a more established LGBTQI organization. On the other hand, many of these older organizations are not able to tap new advocates who will sustain their work in the movement.
The fellowship aims to not only capacitate young and emerging LGBTQI advocates, but also contribute to the sustainability of these organizations which are instrumental to the active participation of more diverse LGBTQI voices in leadership and good governance.
Babaylanes Equality Fellowship is currently supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.
If you want to know more about the curriculum and timeline of the fellowship, click here.
If you want to become a fellow, click here.
